1. Field
The present application relates generally to wireless communications, and more specifically to systems, methods, and devices for using a relay in a wireless communication network approach.
2. Background
In many telecommunication systems, communications networks are used to exchange messages among several interacting spatially-separated devices. Networks may be classified according to geographic scope, which could be, for example, a metropolitan area, a local area, or a personal area. Such networks would be designated respectively as a wide area network (WAN), metropolitan area network (MAN), local area network (LAN), wireless local area network (WLAN), or personal area network (PAN). Networks also differ according to the switching/routing technique used to interconnect the various network nodes and devices (e.g. circuit switching vs. packet switching), the type of physical media employed for transmission (e.g. wired vs. wireless), and the set of communication protocols used (e.g. Internet protocol suite, SONET (Synchronous Optical Networking), Ethernet, etc.).
Wireless networks are often preferred when the network elements are mobile and thus have dynamic connectivity needs, or if the network architecture is formed in an ad hoc, rather than fixed, topology. Wireless networks employ intangible physical media in an unguided propagation mode using electromagnetic waves in the radio, microwave, infra-red, optical, etc. frequency bands. Wireless networks advantageously facilitate user mobility and rapid field deployment when compared to fixed wired networks.
The devices in a wireless network may transmit information to other devices in the wireless network and/or may receive information from other devices in the wireless network. For example, a station may communicate with an access point to which it is associated. In some aspects, however, the devices in the wireless network may have a poor connection and/or may not be able to communicate with each other. Having a poor connection and/or not being able to communicate with other devices in the wireless network may have adverse consequences. For example, if a station can no longer communicate with an access point to which it is associated, a user of the station may no longer have access to the services (e.g., Internet access) provided by the access point. Thus, improved systems, methods, and devices for communicating in a wireless network are desired.